Dawn of the Alchemist
by EquineXWolf
Summary: Miroko and Sango are two ordinary boys. But when their father is killed, they turn to one thing. Alchemy. What have they got to lose? But something goes wrong, and they lose what means the most to them - each other.
1. Episode 1

Dawn of the Alchemist

- episode 1 -

Alchemy. Some used it for good – some for evil. Some even made great sacrifices, just for the rewards that alchemy gave them. Blood was often spilled during the use of alchemy – it was a practice only for the strong and elder. Or so they believed.

"Miroko, are you sure about this?" asked Sango yet again. He brushed some of his brown locks out of his face. His hair was never obedient. He knew that alchemy was not something to fool around with. He knew what his brother was doing was dangerous.

"Alchemy is forbid-"

"He killed our father." Miroko's voice was cold and stern.

"We cannot destroy him unless we use alchemy."

He shoved a chain into Sango's hand. The silver, small chain had a locket attached. Opening the locket, Sango saw a picture of Miroko staring out at him.

"-Hey!" Sango yelled as Miroko's long, black knife pierced the thin tissue on his forefinger. His black-haired brother squeezed his finger hard above the picture in Miroko's locket. Blood dripped down the image of Sango's face. Miroko pierced his own flesh without a sound, extracting his own blood into his brother's locket. Sango stared at his sibling. The loss of their father had made him so cold. Their mother and father had divorced years ago – then their mother had fallen a victim to disease. Darcia was the man responsible for their father's death. Darcia was known for being cruel and unforgiving. He was an alchemist – his powers were nearly invincible.

But why would he kill Sango and Miroko's innocent dad? It was a mystery to the boys. But that didn't stop Miroko from wanting revenge. Sango was a bit afraid of Miroko's emotionless face. Why couldn't he just cope with the loss of their father? Sango took it rough, and still was a bit shaken up, but Miroko was taking it in another way entirely.

Sango continued to hold his finger in pain from the knife's cut. Miroko's lips were forming unknown words that he read from a book.

"Mir-" Sango began to be interrupted.

"Quiet!" came the sharp voice, efficiently silencing Sango. Miroko continued to silently say the words from the red book. The Book of the Alchemist was an ancient book, simply named. Miroko had found it in the same room that they now stood in.

The room was hidden in their living room. Sango had found it first – the door was hidden just behind the pair of wooden bookshelves. It took both Sango and Miroko to open the large double doors. They were elegant and many designs were cut into the stone. Inside was a huge room, made completely of stone. Many books were on the stone, built-in bookcases. Other strange objects were scattered here and there on the rock table. A large, white circle with many designs was on the floor.

"Miro, we shouldn't be doing this!" Sango protested yet again. There was no reply from his brother. His spiky, black hair was falling over his eyes as he looked down at the book. He seemed to be in a sort of trance. The look on his face was stern and serious. A frown was upon Sango's face. He sat against the stone wall of the room, looking at the silver locket.

"Miro, what are these lockets for?"

"In case we get separated. They will always connect us to each other," replied Miroko, not even looking up from The Book of the Alchemist. Sango was beginning to feel worse and worse about this.


	2. Episode 2

Dawn of the Alchemist

- episode 2 –

"Miro, why can't we just defeat Darcia another way? Why do we have to bring alchemy into it?" Sango asked, wrapping his arms around his knees as he sat against the wall. He was still wearing a small frown, his brown eyes looking a bit confused. He didn't know whether to simply tell his brother that he wouldn't be a part of this, or continue to help him. But no. He couldn't leave behind Miroko. They'd have to do this together. Their father's dying words had been addressed to Miroko. 'Take care of your brother,' he had said, the smile fading from his face as death parted him from the real world.

"Darcia is one of the best Alchemists there are. He'd destroy us before we even entered his chambers in the Castle. We have to use our own alchemy to fend off his and fight back," Miroko said, his voice showing no emotion, yet still calm. He was speaking about Minoto Castle, where all the powerful officials lived. That included Darcia. He mostly sat around in his chambers, except for when the nation was in fear of danger. Then he became a murderer, killing all threats. Darcia was so cold. No one even knew if he had a heart. There were rumors that he had once had one true love. But whoever that woman was, she was now dead.

Sango exhaled deeply, impatient for this all to be over with. Miroko would fail, then they could go back to their normal lives. Or, as normal as they could be after all this. They had no one anymore. No friends, no family. Except each other. He sighed yet again as his brother turned back towards him. He had some white dust in his hand, a sort of crushed chalk-looking thing. He threw it into the air, and it fell over both the two boys and the elaborate circle that was etched into the stone floor. Miroko covered his mouth with one hand, while Sango coughed loudly from the chalk that rushed up his nose and into his throat, making it hard to breath.

"What do you think you're - " Sango began to yell at Miroko's actions, only to be interrupted by the brother.

"Shush, Sango. Now follow my lead. And don't say a single word." Miroko had kneeled at the border of the circle, placing his hands flat against the stone. Sango kept quiet as he did the same, a bit shaky about the whole ordeal of alchemy. Miroko began to chant words silently, his voice calm. Sango couldn't hear the words, but he knew that they were in some sort of ancient language. Probably Elkwood, the language often used in spells. Sango lifted up a hand to satisfy an itch, just as the whole circle exploded in a flash of dark red light. There was a magical aura about that mysterious light. Miroko felt something pulling him away, into the air. He tried to hold on, but the force of whatever was doing this too him was just too strong. Miroko's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. Sango was going in the opposite direction, away from him. The brothers were being parted. They couldn't be. Miroko had promised to his father that they'd always take care of each other.

"Sango!" Miroko yelled to his sibling, reaching for his hand. Sango grabbed the cold hand of Miroko, his eyes wide as well in horror. What was happening? What was going wrong? But the pull was too strong. The brothers tried to hold on to each other. But that magical pull just wouldn't realize that they didn't want to be parted. Finally their hands were unclasped, and the boys were separated, forcefully flying back in opposite directions.

"Miroko!" Sango's voice echoed around the room as both the brothers turned into a bright white light, fading into nothingness.


End file.
